Apparatus and method for bonding electronic component, circuit board, and electronic component mounting apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for bonding electronic components, a circuit board, and an electronic component mounting apparatus, whereby various kinds of circuit boards can be manufactured each by a small amount with a high productivity as compared with the conventional art. There are provided a stage member and a heating device, so that the circuit board is heated by the heating device while held in contact with the stage member having an almost equal size to a size of one circuit board. Generation of losses can be reduced for compact circuit boards, and the heating can be carried out individually correspondingly to each kind of circuit boards. Manufacturing various kinds of circuit boards each by a small amount with the high productivity as compared with the conventional art is enabled accordingly.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for bonding electronic components to a circuit board by a heating source, a circuit board manufactured by the method, and an electronic component mounting apparatus with the bonder for an electronic component, and more particularly, relates to an apparatus and a method for bonding electronic components so as to manufacture compact and thin circuit boards to be used in compact mobile devices, a circuit board manufactured by the method, and an electronic component mounting apparatus.

BACKGROUND TECHNIQUE

[0002] In a liquid crystal module used for the mobile device or the like, electronic components are mounted to a flexible substrate (FPC) so as to control display of a liquid crystal display part and electrically connect the liquid crystal module to a mother board. To the FPC are mounted a driver IC for the above display control, and chip components such as capacitors, etc. Since connection parts of the driver IC have narrow pitches, and contamination to the connection parts causes a decrease of the reliability of the liquid crystal module, the driver IC is normally mounted before the chip components are mounted.

[0003] After the driver IC is mounted, as shown in FIG. 19, solder is supplied onto the FPC by a solder printer 1 for supplying the solder to the FPC and, chip components are mounted onto the FPC by a component mounting machine 2. Then, the FPC is carried into a reflow apparatus 3 having a heat source for melting the solder, whereby the solder is melted and the chip components are bonded to the FPC. In this case, if a circuit board has a thickness of approximately 1 mm and rigidity, the circuit board can be belt transferred by a conveyor. However, in the case of a flexible and film-shaped circuit board, e.g., the above FPC, as shown in FIG. 20, a method is employed in which FPCs 5 are aligned and fixed on a pallet 4, transferred and carried into the reflow apparatus 3. The reflow apparatus 3 at this time is a reflow apparatus which heats the ambience in a furnace and then on the pallet 4, makes the FPCs 5 solder all together.

[0004] In producing FPCs 5 of different kinds, each kind of FPCs 5 on which components corresponding to each kind are mounted is transferred to the reflow apparatus. But, the reflow apparatus which heats the ambience in the furnace has the poor productivity in this case, and it is more efficient to heat only necessary points. As such, a reflow apparatus through local heating by a light beam system as shown in FIG. 21 is effective. Particularly for preventing light from being applied to other than necessary points, an arrangement is effective whereby light emitted from a light irradiation part 11 is applied only to the necessary points through an opening 13 of a mask 12. A reference numeral 6, a reference numeral 7 and a reference numeral 8 in FIG. 21 indicate the chip component, the IC and solder respectively.

[0005] In producing many FPCs 5 of the same kind, the productivity is improved by arranging the FPCs 5 on the pallet 4 as large as possible and executing bonding by solder on the FPCs 5 at a time. However, there is little time in many cases lately from determining specifications of the circuit board to producing the circuit board because of a short life of goods, a variety of kinds, complication of design due to sophistication of functions, and fluidity of market trends, and consequently the mass production method by the large pallet 4 cannot meet enhancing the production efficiency.

[0006] The production equipment indicated in FIG. 19 is based on the condition of treating large substrates, and therefore the apparatuses are large themselves. Particularly the reflow apparatus which heats the ambience in the furnace has generally a length of 3-5 m because of an uniform heating, and the equipment is too large with respect to a size of the circuit board of approximately 2-30 mm, obstructing flexible measures. The system with the solder printer 1, the component mounting machine 2 and the reflow apparatus 3 shown in FIG. 19 has a total length of as long as, e.g., 7 m.

[0007] Although the light beam system is effective in the case of components of the same kind or a small number of components, the number of chip components 6 and the number of kinds of chip components on the FPC 5 tend to increase these days in accordance with an enhanced level of function of the liquid crystal module, and therefore setting an irradiation condition or the like becomes difficult when there are components having different light absorptances on the FPC 5. For instance, it is one way to manipulate the condition by the mask 12 for black electronic components or slightly heating electronic components, whereas there is a limitation imposed on meeting every component by the mask 12 alone because an adjacent solder is half melted or the like.

[0008] The present invention is devised to solve the above problems and has for its object to provide an apparatus and a method for bonding electronic components which enable manufacturing a large number of kinds of circuit boards each by a small amount with a higher productivity than in the conventional art, circuit boards manufactured by the method, and an electronic component mounting apparatus with the bonder for an electronic component.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In order to accomplish the above objective, the present invention is constituted as follows.

[0010] A bonder for an electronic component of a first aspect of the present invention comprises:

[0011] a stage member for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and

[0012] a heating device for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other.

[0013] A bonder for an electronic component of a second aspect of the present invention comprises:

[0014] a plurality of stage members for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and

[0015] a heating device provided to each of the stage members for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other.

[0016] In the above first and second aspects, there can be provided a suction device connected to the stage member for sucking and holding the circuit board to the stage member.

[0017] Also in the first and second aspects, a rear face of the stage member which comes in contact with the heating device, and the heating device can have a space for suction to be sucked by the suction device.

[0018] Further in the first and second aspects, the stage member can have an opening for suction which connects the suction device directly to the stage member.

[0019] In the first and second aspects, the stage member can also have a substrate suction hole for sucking a suction region at a stage member contact face of the circuit board held in contact with the stage member and which connects the opening for suction.

[0020] Yet further in the first and second aspects, there can be provided a member for adhesion to be held between the stage member and the heating device for adhering the stage member and the heating device to each other, and a suction device for the stage member which is connected to the heating device for sucking and holding the stage member to the heating device by a suction operation.

[0021] Still in the first and second aspects, an adhesion member contact face of the stage member held in contact with the member for adhesion, and the member for adhesion can have a space for suction to be sucked by the suction device for the stage member.

[0022] In the first and second aspects, the heating device can include a ceramics heater and heat the circuit board by changing a heating temperature with respect to a heating time.

[0023] Again in the first and second aspects, there can be provided a cooling device to be connected to the heating device for cooling the circuit board.

[0024] In an electronic component bonding method according to a third aspect of the present invention, the method comprises:

[0025] heating a circuit board having electronic components to be bonded by a bonding material mounted to the circuit board, the circuit board being placed into contact on a stage member, and

[0026] melting the bonding material by the heating.

[0027] A circuit board of a fourth aspect of the present invention is the circuit board having electronic components bonded by the electronic component bonding method of the above third aspect.

[0028] An electronic component mounting apparatus of a fifth aspect of the present invention comprises the bonder for an electronic component in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0029] According to the bonder for an electronic component of the first and second aspects, the electronic component bonding method of the third aspect and the electronic component mounting apparatus of the fifth aspect of the present invention described above, there are provided the stage member and the heating device, wherein the circuit board is brought in contact with the stage member having an almost equal size to a size of one circuit board, and heated by the heating device, thus enabling individual heating corresponding to each of various kinds of circuit boards as well as reducing generation of losses to compact circuit boards. Many kinds of circuit boards can be manufactured each by a small amount with a higher productivity as compared with the conventional art.

[0030] In addition, including the suction device for sucking and holding the circuit board to the stage member enables the circuit board to be tightly adhered to the stage member, so that a temperature control to the circuit board can be carried out more highly accurately.

[0031] The stage member has the opening for suction which directly connect the suction device, thereby preventing the bonding material from contaminating the heating device when the bonding material is melted. A cleaning operation for the heating device is eliminated and the availability rate of the bonder for an electronic component can be improved accordingly.

[0032] When there are provided the member for adhesion and the suction device for the stage member, the stage member can be sucked and held to the heating device by the suction action of the suction device for the stage member. Also when the member for adhesion is arranged, the adhesion of the stage member to the heating device can be improved at a time of the suction and holding.

[0033] When the adhesion member contact face and the member for adhesion have the space for suction, the suction force of the stage member to the heating device can be improved.

[0034] When the ceramics heater is used for the heating device, the responsiveness to the temperature rise/fall at the heating device can be improved. In consequence, heating by an appropriate temperature control is enabled for each of various kinds of circuit boards. The responsiveness to the temperature change at the heating device can be improved also by including the cooling device, thus enabling heating by an appropriate temperature control for each of various kinds of circuit boards.

[0035] Regarding circuit boards having a thickness of not larger than 1 mm or film-shaped circuit boards, the circuit boards have a good temperature responsiveness to the heating control by the heating device. Therefore, heating by an appropriate temperature control is enabled for each of various kinds of circuit boards.

[0036] It can be arranged so that one circuit board is heated by a plurality of stage members. A change in the size of various kinds of circuit boards can be easily responded by employing this arrangement, whereby heating by an appropriate temperature control for each of various kinds of circuit boards is enabled.

[0037] According to the circuit board of the fourth aspect of the present invention, on which the electronic components are bonded by the bonder for an electronic component of the first and second aspects, the electronic component bonding method of the third aspect and the electronic component mounting apparatus of the fifth aspect, since heating is carried out by an appropriate temperature control corresponding to each kind, a bonding state of the electronic components can be uniformed for each kind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0038] These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof with reference to attached drawings, in which

[0039]FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a bonder for an electronic component according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0040]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a circuit board suitable to be heated by the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0041]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stage member which constitutes the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0042]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heating device which constitutes the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0043]FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of a temperature profile used in the temperature control carried out by the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0044]FIG. 6 is a graph showing another example of the temperature profile used in the temperature control carried out by the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0045]FIG. 7 is a graph showing a still different example of the temperature profile used in the temperature control carried out by the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0046]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modified example of the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0047]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a different modified example of the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0048]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating bonder constituted with the utilization of the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0049]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mounting system constituted with the heating bonder shown in FIG. 10;

[0050]FIG. 12 is the mounting system constituted with the heating bonder shown in FIG. 10 in a different example;

[0051]FIG. 13 is a diagram of a different example of a transfer unit for circuit boards to the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0052]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the other embodiment of the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 1;

[0053]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the stage member shown in FIG. 14;

[0054]FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the bonder for an electronic component shown in FIG. 14;

[0055]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a member for adhesion shown in FIG. 14;

[0056]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a heater part shown in FIG. 14;

[0057]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a conventional component mounting system;

[0058]FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a state in which FPCs are arranged on a pallet when the FPCs are to be treated by a conventional reflow apparatus; and

[0059]FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing an apparatus arrangement in the case of heating only a local region within the circuit board in the conventional art.

BEST MODE FOR EXECUTING THE INVENTION

[0060] An apparatus for bonding electronic components, a method for bonding electronic components, a circuit board, and an electronic component mounting apparatus which are embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The method for bonding electronic components is a method carried out by the bonder for an electronic component, the circuit board is a substrate to which electronic components are bonded by the electronic component bonding method, and the electronic component mounting apparatus is an apparatus provided with the bonder for an electronic component. The same parts in each of the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0061] In the embodiments below, electronic components are components which are to be surface mounted to a circuit board and are to be bonded to the circuit board by a bonding material, and correspond to, e.g., chip components 6 and an IC 7 shown in FIG. 2. Although a solder, namely, a solder paste is exemplified because of its workability as the above bonding material in the following embodiments, the bonding material is not limited to this and can be, for example, a silver paste, a conductive adhesive or the like. Also, while a film-shaped flexible substrate, i.e., FPC is adopted as an example of the circuit board in the following embodiments, the circuit board is not limited to this and may be, e.g., a substrate having a thickness of 1 mm or smaller. Moreover, it does not matter whether or not the circuit board has flexibility. In other words, the circuit board corresponds to such one that is produced by a small number for every different kind without being produced by a large number of the same kind as in the conventional art.

[0062] First Embodiment;

[0063] FIGS. 1-4 show a bonder for an electronic component 101 of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 shows the FPC 5 which corresponds to the circuit board to be treated by the bonder for an electronic component 101. The FPC 5 is a substrate, for instance, for connecting the aforementioned liquid crystal module and the motherboard with each other, and is a single-sided mounting substrate. In addition to the IC 7, a plurality of chip components 6 are placed to points of a component mounting face 5 a of the FPC 5 where a solder paste 8 not solidified yet is applied. In the present embodiment, the IC 7 is already mounted to the FPC 5 before the FPC is sent into the subject bonder for an electronic component 101.

[0064] The bonder for an electronic component 101 has a stage member 110 for placing the above-described FPC 5 on the stage member, and a heating device 120 for heating the stage member 110 thereby heating the FPC 5 held in contact with the stage member 110 and melting the solder paste 8 for bonding electronic components 6 to the FPC 5.

[0065] The stage member 110 has both a function of placing and holding the FPC 5 and a function of transmitting heat to the FPC 5, and is easily replaceable to the heating device 120 so as to meet various kinds of circuit boards. The stage member 110 is preferably formed of a material having a good thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, magnesium or ceramic in a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm-5 mm. Using the aluminum material having a thickness of approximately 2 mm is particularly preferable because it is inexpensive and can have equal properties in heat (soaking properties). The stage member 110 is made a 35 mm×35 mm square corresponding to a size of the FPC 5 to be treated in the present embodiment.

[0066] Referring further to FIG. 3, suction holes 111 for adhering the FPC 5 are opened to a front face 110 a of the stage member 110 to which a rear face 5 b opposite to the component mounting face 5 a of the FPC 5 is to be brought in contact. Although there are a plurality of suction holes 111 arranged in the embodiment as indicated in the drawing for adhering a peripheral edge part of the FPC 5, the number and position of the suction holes 111 are determined in correspondence to the circuit board to be held. Moreover, the suction holes 111 are connected with each other by a suction groove 112 for the substrate. In addition, suction grooves 113 for the stage member are arranged to a rear face 110 b opposite to the front face 110 a of the stage member 110 for tightly adhering the stage member 110 itself to a heater part 121 to be described later.

[0067] The heating device 120 has the heater part 121, a thermal insulating part 122, a base part 123 and a power supply part 124. The thermal insulating part 122 and the heater part 121 are stacked in this order onto the base part 123, and the stage member 110 is arranged on the heater part 121.

[0068] The heater part 121 is comprised of a so-called ceramics heater, which heats when a current is supplied from the power supply part 124 to a heater wire of the ceramics heater. In the case of a heater other than the ceramics heater, namely, a constant heating heater, the responsiveness to a temperature rise/drop is required to be several tens seconds to several minutes, which is poorly productive and impractical. On the other hand, the ceramics heater can respond even within one second or shorter, enabling setting a temperature profile as will be described below.

[0069] A temperature of the heater part 121 is measured by a temperature sensor, for example, a thermocouple 125 disposed inside the heater part 121 and is sent to a controller 180. The power supply part 124 is connected to the controller 180. The controller 180 feedback controls the temperature of the heater part 121 on the basis of temperature information supplied from the thermocouple 125 and a preliminarily set temperature profile for controlling a temperature of the circuit board. As shown in FIG. 4, to a stage member set face 121 a of the heater part 121, there are opened a hole 133 for adhering the circuit board to communicate with the above suction groove 112 arranged to the stage member 110, and moreover, holes 134 for adhering the stage member to communicate with the suction grooves 113 formed to the stage member 110. A space for suction is defined by the suction grooves 113 and the holes 134.

[0070] The thermal insulating part 122 is for efficiently transmitting heat of the heater part 121 to the FPC 5 and is fixed onto the base part 123.

[0071] To the base part 123 are connected a suction device 131 for the circuit board for adhering the FPC 5 to the stage member 110 and a suction device 132 for the stage member for adhering the stage member 110 to the heater part 121. The suction device 131 for the circuit board is connected to the hole 133 of the heater part 121 to suck and hold the circuit board, i.e., the FPC 5 in this example to the front face 110 a of the stage member 110 via the suction groove 112 and the suction holes 111 by a suction operation of the suction device 131. The suction device 132 for the stage member is connected to the holes 134 of the heater part 121 to suck and hold the stage member 110 to the stage member set face 121 a of the heater part 121 through a suction operation of the suction device 132. Although the FPC 5 and the stage member 110 are sucked and held by the separate suction devices 131 and 132 respectively in the present embodiment as described hereinabove, both may be sucked and held by one suction device.

[0072] Further, a cooling device 141 for the heater part is connected to the base part 123 so that the heater part 121 can be forcibly cooled in order to carry out a temperature control conforming to the above temperature profile. In this embodiment, the cooling device 141 forcibly cools the heater part 121 by supplying a gas, e.g., the air to an upper face or a lower face of the heater part 121. While the thermal insulating part 122 is arranged to a lower part of the heater part 121, a cooling device 142 for the base part for cooling the base part 123 is connected to the base part 123 to prevent the base part 123 from being heated by a continuous heating operation. The cooling device 142 alike supplies a gas, for example, the air in the embodiment.

[0073] Each of the suction device 131 for the circuit board, the suction device 132 for the stage member, the cooling device 141 for the heater part and the cooling device 142 for the base part is connected to the controller 180 and controlled in the operation.

[0074] For the above temperature profile, for instance, such forms as shown in FIGS. 5-7 can be considered. An optimum temperature profile is selected in accordance with each of parameters, e.g., a type of the bonding material, a type and the number of electronic components to be bonded onto the circuit board, and a material, a thickness, etc. of the circuit board. As a selection method, a method conceivable by those skilled in the art can be employed, such as a method of storing each kind of the temperature profile correspondingly to each of the above parameters to a storage part 181 in the controller 180 and automatically extracting the optimum temperature profile by the controller 180 by inputting information related to the circuit board and electronic components to be treated, or a method of inputting a temperature profile selected by the worker, or the like.

[0075] By way of example, each value indicated in FIGS. 5-7, namely, a0 represents a room temperature, a1 represents a melting point of the bonding material which is a eutectic solder in the embodiment and therefore 183° C., a2 represents 230° C., b1 represents 150° C., b2 represents 220° C., t1 represents one second, t2 represents three seconds, t3 represents four seconds, t4 represents ten seconds, and t5 represents six seconds.

[0076] In the case particularly where electronic components 6 and 7 have a limitation on the heating, the temperature can be set to not higher than the above a2 as an upper limit of the heating temperature. Since the FPC 5 is heated only from the rear face 5 b where components are not mounted, the electronic components 6 and 7 are heated eventually. Setting the temperature as above is effective also from this point of view if in the presence of the above heating limitation.

[0077] When it is necessary to suppress generation of a solder ball at a melting time of the solder, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable to set a preheating operation of maintaining the same temperature from a time point t1 to a time point t2. On the other hand, if the effect of the solder ball is negligible because the electronic components are relatively large, as shown in FIG. 6, the solder may be melted at a time without setting the above preheating operation. Meanwhile, if it is desired to shorten a time required for melting the solder and bonding electronic components to the circuit board, as shown in FIG. 7, a method is possible in which a heating operation is started preliminarily from the preheating temperature b1, and the temperature b1 is maintained even after the completion of solder bonding.

[0078] With respect to the above-constituted bonder for an electronic component 101, an operation of the bonder for an electronic component 101, that is, an electronic component bonding method will be described below. The electronic component bonding method, in other words, a reflow method is a method particularly effective for thin circuits boards, preferably for substrates having a thickness of not larger than 1 mm as a standard. Especially as in the present embodiment, the method is more effective for film-shaped circuit boards, i.e., the above FPC 5 because of its good follow-up performance to a temperature control. As a material of the circuit boards, a glass fabric based epoxy resin or a paper based phenolic resin is preferred for the 1 mm or thinner circuit boards, and polyimide is preferably used for the film-shaped circuit boards, because the circuit board has both a strength and a heat resistance in spite of a considerably small thickness of approximately 0.01-0.1 mm.

[0079] First, the stage member 110 having the suction holes 111 arranged correspondingly to the circuit board, i.e., the FPC 5 in the embodiment is placed to the stage member set face 121 a of the heater part 121. The suction device 132 for the stage member is activated, sucking the stage member 110 via the holes 134 for sucking the stage member which are opened to the heater part 121, and tightly adhering and fixing the stage member 110 to the heater part 121. Then, after the suction device 131 for the circuit board is activated, the FPC 5 is placed to the front face 110 a of the stage member 110, and the FPC 5 is adhered and fixed to the front face 110 a via the hole 133 of the heater part 121 and the suction holes 111 of the stage member 110. As a result, the stage member 110 is tightly adhered and fixed to the heater part 121, and moreover the FPC 5 is tightly adhered and retained tracing the front face 110 a of the stage member 110, so that the heat of the heater part 121 is efficiently transmitted to the FPC 5. A heating operation by the heater part 121 is controlled by the controller 180 according to the above-described temperature profile, whereby the solder 8 is melted and the electronic components 6 are bonded onto the FPC 5 by the solder. After the bonding, the operation of the suction device 131 for the circuit board is stopped to stop the suction and the FPC 5 is separated from the stage member 110.

[0080] According to the above bonder for an electronic component 101, one circuit board to be heated is heated by the heating device 120 while the circuit board is kept in contact with the stage member 110 having a nearly equal size to the size of the circuit board. Therefore, generation of losses to small circuit boards can be reduced, and at the same time, heating can be carried out individually correspondingly to each kind of the circuit boards. It becomes possible to manufacture various kinds of circuit boards each by a small amount with a higher productivity as compared with the conventional art.

[0081] Since the circuit board to be heated is heated by the heating device 120 while being held in contact with the stage member 110 nearly equal in the size to the one circuit board, the reflow apparatus of an ambience circulation type as in the conventional art is eliminated. It is possible to constitute each bonder for an electronic component 101 in a size of, e.g., 35 mm×35 mm for the FPC 5 having a size of, e.g., 35 mm×35 mm. A considerably compact apparatus for heating and bonding the circuit boards as compared with the conventional art is provided accordingly.

[0082] In the bonder for an electronic component 101 of the above-discussed embodiment, one FPC 5 is placed to the front face 110 a of the stage member 110 which has the size equal to or slightly larger than the size of the FPC 5. However, the size of the circuit board to the stage member 110 is not limited to this example of the embodiment. For instance, a plurality of the above bonders for an electronic component 101 can be arranged side by side in a lateral direction like a bonder for an electronic component 102 shown in FIG. 8, and one circuit board may be placed on a plurality of the stage members 110. An arrangement direction is not limited to the above lateral direction and can be a longitudinal direction or furthermore both longitudinal and lateral directions. Also, a plurality of FPCs 5 may be placed to the front face 110 a of one stage member 110.

[0083] By constituting as above, the bonder for an electronic component 101 of the present embodiment becomes applicable irrespective of the size of circuit boards. The above structure of the parallel arrangement is an effective means when it is taken into account that a large ceramics heater itself is rare at present and development costs for the large ceramics heater is enormous.

[0084] By adopting the above structure of the parallel arrangement, it becomes also possible to carry out one heating control to an entire range of a heating region at one circuit board or carry out mutually different heating controls to a plurality of points in the heating region of one circuit board. More versatility can be provided.

[0085] When it is necessary to change a heating condition for the circuit board more locally, such an arrangement as a bonder for an electronic component 103 shown in FIG. 9 is possible in which light beams, laser, hot air or the like is irradiated from above the circuit board 5. In FIGS. 8 and 9 referred above, the power supply part 124, the suction device 131 for the circuit board, the suction device 132 for the stage member, the cooling device 141 for the heater part, the cooling device 142 for the base part, and the controller 180 are omitted from the illustration because they can be construed as similar to in FIG. 1.

[0086] Second Embodiment;

[0087] An electronic component mounting apparatus (described also as a “mounting system”) constituted with the use of the above bonder for an electronic component 101 will be depicted in the next place. The foregoing FPC 5 is employed as an example of the circuit board.

[0088] The mounting system 201 shown in FIG. 11 includes a solder supplying apparatus 210 for applying the solder paste 8 to the FPC 5, a component setting apparatus 220 for mounting chip components 6 to the FPC 5, and a heating bonder 230 having the bonder for an electronic component 101 for bonding chip components 6 to the FPC 5 by melting the solder paste 8. These are aligned so that the FPC 5 is transferred sequentially from the solder supplying apparatus 210 to the component setting apparatus 220 to the heating bonder 230. The FPC 5 having the IC 7 mounted beforehand is supplied to the solder supplying apparatus 210. The solder supplying apparatus 210 may be constructed in either constitution of a solder printer and a solder dispenser.

[0089] As depicted in the foregoing description of the bonder for an electronic component 101, the bonder for an electronic component 101 is constituted to heat the circuit board by sucking the circuit board onto the stage member 110, and at the same time, one stage member 110 is made corresponding in the size to the circuit board. Therefore, an area occupied by the heating bonder 230 is turned considerably small as compared with the conventional reflow apparatus. A total length I of the mounting system 201 can be kept to, e.g., approximately 2.5 m in this example.

[0090] The heating bonder 230 will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

[0091] The heating bonder 230 has a heating part 235 with the above bonders for an electronic component 101, a carry-in unit 231 for carrying the FPC 5 into the heating bonder 230 from the component setting apparatus 220 of a previous stage, a carry-out unit 233 for sending the FPC 5 out of the heating bonder 230 to a next process, a transfer unit 232 for transferring the FPC 5 from the carry-in unit 231 to the heating part 235 and from the heating part 235 to the carry-out unit 233, and a control unit 236 for controlling to operate these constituting parts.

[0092] The carry-in unit 231 has a carry-in stage 2312 which sucks and holds the FPC 5 and is reciprocated by a driving device 2311 in an X-direction as a transfer direction. The operation of the carry-in unit 231 is controlled by the controller 236. The carry-out unit 233 has a carry-out stage 2332 which sucks and holds the FPC 5 and is reciprocated by a driving device 2331 in the X-direction. The operation of the carry-out unit 233 is controlled by the controller 236.

[0093] The heating part 235 is constituted of two stages of a first stage 235-1 and a second stage 235-2. Each of the first stage 235-1 and the second stage 235-2 is constituted of two bonders for an electronic component 101 of FIG. 1 arranged in a longitudinal direction, i.e., a Y-direction indicated in FIG. 10. Therefore, a total of four bonders for an electronic component 101 are used at the heating part 235, because one sheet of the FPC 5 to be treated by this mounting system 201 corresponds to a size of two stage members 110 of the bonder for an electronic component 101 arranged in the Y-direction. A specific size of the FPC 5 to be treated by the mounting system 201 is 35 mm×70 mm. A size of the above stages is not limited by the form of the mounting system 201 and can be determined in accordance with the size of the circuit boards to be treated. Also the number of the stages arranged at the heating part 235 is not limited to this example and can be enough to be one or more, which is determined on the basis of a throughput required for the mounting system.

[0094] In FIG. 10, illustrating the power supply part 124, the suction device 131 for the circuit board, the suction device 132 for the stage member, the cooling device 141 for the heater part and the cooling device 142 for the base part provided to each of the bonders for an electronic component 101 which constitute the stages 235-1 and 235-2 is saved because the parts can be construed as equal to those in FIG. 1, while the foregoing controller 180 is replaced with the controller 236. The same temperature control as the above-described temperature control to the bonder for an electronic component 101 by the controller 180 is executed for each of the first stage 235-1 and the second stage 235-2 by controlling the operation by the controller 236.

[0095] The transfer unit 232 has a transfer suction device 2321 for transferring the FPC 5 to the first stage 235-1 and to the second stage 235-2 of the heating part 235 from the carry-in stage 2312 of the carry-in unit 231, a transfer suction device 2322 for transferring the FPC 5 to the carry-out stage 2332 of the carry-out unit 233 from the first stage 235-1 and the second stage 235-2, a Z-driving device 2324 for moving a transfer arm 2323 having the transfer suction device 2321 and the transfer suction device 2322 arranged thereto into a Z-direction which is a thickness direction of the FPC 5 and orthogonal to the X-direction and Y-direction, a Y-driving device 2325 for moving the Z-driving device 2324 into the Y-direction, and an X-driving device 2326 for moving the Y-driving device 2325 into the X-direction. A suction device omitted from the illustration is included in the transfer suction device 2321 and the transfer suction device 2322. The transfer unit 232 constituted as above is controlled to operate by the controller 236.

[0096] Furthermore, the heating bonder 230 has a suction device 234 having a duct 2341 for sucking fume generated from the FPC 5 being heated by the heating part 235.

[0097] The operation of the thus constituted mounting system 201, primarily the operation at the heating bonder 230 will be described below.

[0098] The FPC 5 transferred from the component setting apparatus 220 is supplied onto the carry-in stage 2312 of the carry-in unit 231 provided to the heating bonder 230. Each of the X-driving device 2326, the Y-driving device 2325, the Z-driving device 2324 and the transfer suction device 2321 provided to the transfer unit 232 is driven, whereby the FPC 5 is sucked and held by the transfer suction device 2321, placed on the first stage 235-1 of the heating part 235, and sucked and held. The FPC 5 while being retained on the first stage 235-1 is heated on the basis of the temperature profile by the heating device 120, that is, is passed through a reflow operation. The fume generated during the heating is sucked by the duct 2341 of the suction device 234.

[0099] A second FPC 5 carried next into the heating bonder 230 is treated similarly to the above first FPC 5. The second FPC 5 is supplied to the second stage 235-2 vacant at present, heated, and temperature controlled, when the FPC 5 and the chip components 6 are bonded with each other. A succeeding third FPC 5 which has been sucked by the transfer suction 231 is supplied to the first stage 235-1 and heated immediately after the first FPC 5 transferred first is completely heated at the first stage 235-1 and taken out by the transfer suction device 2322 of the transfer unit 232 to the carry-out stage 2332 of the carry-out unit 233 from the first stage 235-1.

[0100] The FPC 5 placed and sucked to the carry-out stage 2332 is held and carried out to a next process. The above operation is repeated, whereby the FPCs 5 are treated sequentially.

[0101] According to the mounting system 201 having the above heating bonder 230, since the heating bonder 230 is constituted greatly compact in comparison with the conventional art as described hereinabove, the mounting system 201 can be made compact as a whole as compared with the conventional art.

[0102] Although the above mounting system 201 is constituted of the solder supplying apparatus 210, the component setting apparatus 220 and the heating bonder 230 arranged in an array along the transfer direction of the circuit boards, namely, along the X-direction as shown in FIG. 11, an entire configuration of the mounting system is not limited to the above form, and it is possible to construct a mounting system 250 of a rotary type as shown in FIG. 12.

[0103] A circular rotary table 257 with working parts 258 arranged at constant intervals to a circumferential edge part is installed to be intermittently rotatable to a central part of the mounting system 250. There are arranged surrounding the rotary table 257 and correspondingly to stop positions of the working parts 258, a solder supplying apparatus 261 for supplying solder to a circuit board, a component setting apparatus 262 for mounting chip components 6 to the circuit board with the solder supplied, and a heating bonder 263 having the above bonder for an electronic component 101 for heating the solder and bonding the chip components 6 to the circuit board. Moreover, a controller 256 is provided which is in charge of controlling the operation of the whole mounting system 250. Also there are provided a carry-in unit 251 for carrying in the circuit board from a previous process to the subject mounting system 250, a carry-out unit 253 for carrying out the circuit board from the present mounting system 250 to a next process, and a transfer unit 252 for transferring the circuit boards to the above working parts 258. A suction device is also disposed for sucking fume generated during heating the circuit boards.

[0104] The mounting system 250 constituted as above operates in the following manner.

[0105] A circuit board is placed to the working part 258 by the transfer unit 252 via the carry-in unit 251, and transferred to the solder supplying apparatus 261 by the rotation of the rotary table 257. The solder is supplied to the circuit board at the solder supplying apparatus 261. The rotary table 257 rotates again, so that the circuit board is transferred to the component setting apparatus 262. At the component setting apparatus 262, the chip components 6 are mounted onto the circuit board with the solder supplied thereto. The rotary table 257 rotates again and the circuit board is transferred to the heating bonder 263. The circuit board is heated and components are bonded to the circuit board at the heating bonder 263. The circuit board is transferred to the carry-out unit 253 by the rotation of the rotary table 257 again and placed by the transfer unit 252 to the carry-out unit 253. The carry-out unit 253 carries out the circuit board to a next process.

[0106] For instance, when a first circuit board is being heated by the heating bonder 263, components are mounted onto a second circuit board by the component setting apparatus 262 and the solder is supplied to a third circuit board by the solder supplying apparatus 261. Different processes are thus carried out to a plurality of circuit boards respectively.

[0107] A lateral width of the mounting system 250 can be reduced more by adopting a form with the rotary table 257 like the above mounting system 250.

[0108] When stop positions arranged at the rotary table 257 is 8 positions, a recognition camera for inspecting a supply state of the solder to the circuit board or a device for adding the solder to a part where the solder is not fully supplied can be installed additionally between the solder supplying apparatus 261 and the component setting apparatus 262, and effectively utilized. The heating bonder 263 can be arranged within the working part 258, to the carry-out unit 253, or between the rotary table 257 and the carry-out unit 253.

[0109] In each of the above-discussed embodiments, since the FPC 5 is employed as an example of the circuit board, a method of sucking and holding the circuit boards is adopted for transferring the circuit board. However, in a case where the circuit board is a substrate which is, e.g., approximately 1 mm thick and resistant to deformation such as deflection and the like, such arrangement as shown in FIG. 13 may be constituted in which a circuit board 310 is transferred by transfer rails 302 supported by brackets 301. In this case, while the heating bonder 120 is tightly adhered by an up-down driving part 303 to the circuit board 310, a retaining member 304 is preferably disposed to the transfer rail 302 for stabilizing the adhesion.

[0110] Third Embodiment;

[0111] As is described hereinabove, in the bonder for an electronic component 101 used in each embodiment, the FPC 5 is sucked and held to the front face 110 a of the stage member 110 by the suction operation by the suction device 131 for the circuit board. A passage for suction passes through the heater part 121 to reach the suction device 131 as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, there is a possibility that a part of the fume generated when the FPC 5 sucked to the stage member 110 is heated and the solder paste 8 is melted enters the heater part 121 due to the above suction. Moreover, there is a type of circuit boards among circuit boards to be sucked to the stage member 110, to which through holes are formed penetrating the boards along a thickness direction of the boards. An amount of the fume passing the heater part 121 increases greatly in the circuit boards having the through holes.

[0112] The entrance of the fume to the heater part 121 necessitates cleaning the heater part 121, thereby forcing the equipment to stop for the cleaning work, which results in a decrease of the productivity.

[0113] A bonder for an electronic component according to a third embodiment to be described below is an improved type of the bonder for an electronic component 101 of the above first embodiment, which is intended for improving the productivity by preventing effects of the fume. The mounting system 201 discussed in the second embodiment can adopt a configuration provided with the bonder for an electronic component of the following third embodiment in place of the bonder for an electronic component 101.

[0114] A flexible substrate (FPC) 405 shown in FIG. 14 is a substrate for connecting, e.g., the liquid crystal module and the motherboard with each other, similar to the above-described FPC 5. The flexible substrate is a single-sided mounting substrate and has a plurality of electronic components 6 and the IC 7 placed to points of an electronic component mounting face 405 a of the FPC 405 where the solder paste 8 not solidified is applied. In this embodiment, a plurality of through holes 404 are formed penetrating the FPC 405 in a thickness direction of the FPC 405. A recessed part 405 c with approximately a thickness of a wiring line, shown in FIG. 16 is formed at a part on a stage member contact face 405 b of the FPC 405 opposite to the component mounting face 405 a, the part corresponding to a part without the wiring line. The above through holes 404 are provided for the purpose of disconnecting an unnecessary wiring part, and therefore the through holes 404 and the recessed part 405 c are normally in a structure in which the holes and the recessed part connect each other.

[0115] As indicated in FIG. 14, the bonder for an electronic component 401 in the third embodiment has a stage member 410 for placing the FPC 405, and a heating device 420 for heating the stage member 410 thereby heating the FPC 405 kept in contact with the stage member 410, thereby melting the solder paste 8 for bonding components to the FPC 405. A member 450 for adhesion is preferably arranged between the stage member 410 and the heating device 420.

[0116] The stage member 410 shown in FIG. 15 is a member corresponding to the earlier described stage member 110, having both a function of placing and holding the FPC 405 and a function of transmitting heat to the FPC 405. The stage member 401 is easily replaceable so as to be able to meet various kinds of circuit boards. The stage member 410 is preferably formed of a material having a superior thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, magnesium, ceramic, or the like. Particularly using an aluminum member having a thickness of approximately 3 mm is preferred because it is inexpensive and exerts soaking properties. In the present embodiment, the stage member 410 is formed of a 45 mm×80 mm rectangular plate material corresponding to a size of the FPC 405 to be treated.

[0117] Moreover, a plurality of substrate suction holes 411 for sucking and holding the FPC 405 are opened to a circuit board placing face 410 a of the stage member 410 to which the stage member contact face 405 b of the FPC 405 comes in contact. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, the substrate suction holes 411 are disposed to positions where the holes are prevented from communicating directly with the through holes 404 formed to the FPC 405. In addition, the substrate suction holes 411 are disposed to positions where the holes are prevented from connecting the recessed part 405 c of the stage member contact face 405 b of the FPC 405, either. So long as these arrangement conditions are satisfied, the number and arrangement position of the substrate suction holes 411 can be determined in accordance with the circuit board to be held. Therefore the substrate suction holes 411 suck a suction region 405 d other than the recessed part 405 c and the through holes 404 at the stage member contact face 405 b. The suction region 405 d is normally a flat face and can be dented.

[0118] The substrate suction holes 411 are connected with each other via a substrate suction groove 412 formed to an adhesion member contact face 410 b of the stage member 410, and the substrate suction groove 412 is connected to an opening 415 for suction formed to a side face 410 c of the stage member 410. The opening 415 for suction is connected directly to a suction device 431 for the circuit board. Therefore, the FPC 405 placed to the substrate placing face 410 a of the stage member 410 is sucked and held to the substrate placing face 410 a by the suction operation of the suction device 431 for the circuit board. Although the fume generated from the solder paste 8 when components 6 are bonded possibly enters the substrate suction holes 411 and the substrate suction groove 412 through the through holes 404, the fume is sucked via the opening 415 for suction by the suction device 431 for the circuit board. The fume is accordingly prevented from passing the heating device in the third embodiment.

[0119] Since the through holes 404 and the substrate suction holes 411 are not directly connected with each other and since the substrate suction holes 411 suck the suction region 405 d as described above, a holding force for the FPC 405 to the substrate placing face 410 a by the substrate suction holes 411 is large, and the holding accuracy can be improved. Moreover, since the FPC 405 is held to the substrate placing face 410 a through local suction by the substrate suction holes 411, a leak amount of the air can be reduced in comparison with the case of sucking through suction holes arranged, e.g., like slots to the substrate placing face 410 a. The holding accuracy for the FPC 405 to the substrate placing face 410 a is improved also from this point of view.

[0120] To the adhesion member contact face 410 b of the stage member 410 are disposed suction grooves 413 for the stage member separately from the substrate suction groove 412 to adhere and hold the stage member 410 to the heater part 421 via the member for adhesion 450. The suction grooves 413 for the stage member are made circular recessed parts in the present embodiment as illustrated, each having a diameter set larger than a diameter of a passage 422 for sucking the stage member which is formed to a heater part 422 to be described later.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 17, the member 450 for adhesion is a sheet-like member having both a function of blocking contamination of the stage member 410 from reaching the heater part 421 and a function of transmitting heat to the stage member 410 and is constituted to be easily replaceable to improve the maintenance efficiency. The member 450 for adhesion is preferably formed of a material having a good thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, magnesium, ceramic, or the like. It is preferable to use particularly an aluminum material having a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm because it is inexpensive and soaking properties can be obtained. In the embodiment, the member 450 for adhesion is made a 45 mm×80 mm rectangle corresponding to the size of the FPC 405 to be treated. As indicated in the drawing, there are formed to the member 450 for adhesion, stage member suction holes 451 penetrating in a thickness direction of the member 450 for adhesion at the same position in the same shape as the suction grooves 413 for the stage member which are present at the adhesion member contact face 410 b of the stage member 410. A space for suction is constituted of the suction grooves 413 for the stage member and the suction holes 451 for the stage member.

[0122] By disposing the above member 450 for adhesion, the adhesion between the stage member 410 and the heater part 421 described below is improved, and at the same time, the substrate suction groove 412 of the stage member 410 is prevented from directly coming into contact with the heater part 421, so that the fume can be prevented from adhering to the heater part 421.

[0123] The heater part 421 shown in FIG. 18 is comprised of a ceramic heater having a superior responsiveness to a temperature rise/drop, which is designed to heat when a current is supplied to a heater wire from a power supply part 424. The heating device 420 is constituted of the above heater part 421 and power supply part 424. In the present embodiment, the heater part 421 is preferably formed in a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm to 5 mm of a material having superior soaking properties and thermal conductivity such as silicon nitride ceramic, cordierite, aluminum nitride ceramic or the like. Particularly when a silicon nitride ceramic material having a thickness of approximately 2 mm is used, it is preferable because the heater part is made inexpensive and can exert soaking properties. The heater part 421 in the embodiment is rendered a 55 mm×90 mm rectangle corresponding to the size of the FPC 405 to be treated. Further, the heater part 421 has the passages 422 for sucking the stage member formed to a position corresponding to the stage member suction holes 451 of the member 450 for adhesion. The passages 422 penetrate the heater part 421 in the thickness direction of the heater part 421. A suction device 432 for the stage member is connected to the passages 422. Therefore, the air of the passages 422, the suction holes 451 and the suction grooves 413 is sucked by activating the suction device 432, whereby the stage member 410 is adhered and sucked to a placing face 421 a of the heater part 421 via the member 450 for adhesion.

[0124] Although the passages 422 for sucking the stage member are cylindrical passages in the embodiment, a diameter of the passage is made small in comparison with the above suction holes 413 for the stage member and the stage member suction holes 451. By so constituting as above, the space for suction, that is, the suction grooves 413 for the stage member can be secured larger at the stage member 410 with respect to the passages 422, and the holding force for the stage member 410 to the heater part 421 can be improved.

[0125] A temperatures of the heater part 421 is measured by a temperature sensor, for instance, by a thermocouple 425 installed in the heater part 421 and sent out to the controller 480. The power supply part 424 is connected to the controller 480, and the controller 480 feedback controls the temperature of the heater part 421 on the basis of temperature information supplied from the thermocouple 425 and a temperature profile preliminarily set for controlling a temperature of the circuit board. A cooling device 441 for the heater part is connected to the heater part 421 so that the heater part 421 can be forcibly cooled to execute a temperature control conforming to the temperature profile. The cooling device 441 for the heater part supplies a gas, e.g., the air to the heater part 421 thereby forcibly cooling the heater part 121 in the present embodiment.

[0126] The controller 480 is connected to the above suction device 431 for the circuit board, the suction device 432 for the stage member, the power supply part 424 and the cooling device 441 for the heater part, controlling operation of each of these constituting parts according to a program stored in a storage part 481.

[0127] With respect to the bonder for an electronic component 401 constituted as described hereinabove, the operation of the bonder for an electronic component 401, i.e., an electronic component bonding method will be depicted below. The bonder for an electronic component 401 is particularly effective for heating and holding thin circuit boards, similar to the earlier described bonder for an electronic component 101, and is suitable for substrates having a thickness of not larger than 1 mm as a guideline.

[0128] The member 450 for adhesion is placed to the placing face 421 a of the heater part 421 while the stage member suction holes 451 of the member 450 for adhesion are made to correspond to the passages 422 of the heater part 421. Moreover, the stage member 410 is placed on the member 450 for adhesion while the suction grooves 413 for the stage member of the stage member 410 are made to correspond to the stage member suction holes 451. The suction device 432 for the stage member is activated to adhere and hold the stage member 410 via the member 450 for adhesion to the placing face 421 a of the heater part 421 by the suction operation. Then, after the suction device 431 for the circuit board is activated, the FPC 405 is placed onto the circuit board placing face 410 a of the stage member 410, and the FPC 405 is adhered and fixed to the circuit board placing face 410 a via the substrate suction holes 411 and the suction groove 412 for the substrate of the stage member 110.

[0129] The heating operation by the heater part 421 is controlled by the controller 480 in accordance with the above-referred temperature profile. The solder paste 8 is melted by the heating operation, and the electronic components 6 are bonded onto the FPC 5.

[0130] At this time, the fume generated from the solder paste 8 is sometimes sucked through the through holes 404 of the FPC 405. However, the sucked fume is discharged through the substrate suction holes 411 and the suction groove 412 for the substrate of the stage member 110 and is therefore prevented from contaminating the heater part 421. According to the bonder for an electronic component 401 of the third embodiment as above, cleaning the heater part 421 is eliminated and a high productivity can be achieved without stopping the equipment for the cleaning work.

[0131] After the components 6 are completely bonded to the FPC 405 in the manner as described above, the operation of the suction device 431 for the circuit board is stopped to stop the suction, and the FPC 405 is taken off from the stage member 410.

[0132] Similar to the earlier discussed case of the bonder for an electronic component 101, in the bonder for an electronic component 401, the stage member 410 has the size nearly equal to or slightly larger than the size of the FPC 405 so that one FPC 405 can be placed onto the circuit board placing face 410 a of the stage member 410. However, the size of the circuit board to the stage member 410 is not limited to the example of this embodiment, and for instance, a plurality of the above circuit board suction/holding apparatuses 401 may be arranged as is described with reference to FIG. 8 so as to place one circuit board on the plurality of the stage members 410.

[0133] Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bonder for an electronic component comprising: a stage member for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and a heating device for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other.
 2. A bonder for an electronic component comprising: a plurality of stage members for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and a heating device provided to each of the stage members for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other.
 3. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 1, further comprising a suction device connected to the stage member for sucking and holding the circuit board to the stage member.
 4. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 2, further comprising a suction device connected to the stage members for sucking and holding the circuit board to the stage members.
 5. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 3, wherein a rear face of the stage member which comes in contact with the heating device, and the heating device have a space for suction to be sucked by the suction device.
 6. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein rear faces of the stage members which come in contact with the heating devices, and the heating devices have spaces for suction to be sucked by the suction device.
 7. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 3, wherein the stage member has an opening for suction which connect the suction device directly to the stage member.
 8. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the stage members have openings for suction which connect the suction device directly to the stage members.
 9. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 7, wherein the stage member has also a substrate suction hole for sucking a suction region at a stage member contact face of the circuit board held in contact with the stage member and which connects the opening for suction.
 10. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 8, wherein the stage members have also substrate suction holes for sucking suction regions at stage member contact face of the circuit board held in contact with the stage members and which connect the openings for suction.
 11. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 7, further comprising a member for adhesion to be held between the stage member and the heating device for tightly adhering the stage member and the heating device to each other, and a suction device for the stage member which is connected to the heating device for sucking and holding the stage member to the heating device by a suction operation.
 12. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 8, further comprising members for adhesion to be held between the stage members and the heating devices for adhering the stage members and the heating devices to each other, and suction devices for the stage member which are connected to the heating devices for sucking and holding the stage member to the heating devices by a suction operation.
 13. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 11, wherein an adhesion member contact face of the stage member held in contact with the member for adhesion, and the member for adhesion have a space for suction to be sucked by the suction device for the stage member.
 14. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 12, wherein adhesion member contact faces of the stage members held in contact with the members for adhesion, and the members for adhesion have spaces for suction to be sucked by the suction devices for the stage member.
 15. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the heating device has a ceramics heater and heats the circuit board by changing a heating temperature with respect to a heating time.
 16. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the heating devices have ceramics heaters and heat the circuit board by changing a heating temperature with respect to a heating time.
 17. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 15, further comprising a cooling device connected to the heating device for cooling the circuit board.
 18. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 16, further comprising cooling devices connected to the heating devices for cooling the circuit board.
 19. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board has a thickness of not larger than 1 mm.
 20. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the circuit board has a thickness of not larger than 1 mm.
 21. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is film-shaped.
 22. The bonder for an electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the circuit board is film-shaped.
 23. A method for bonding electronic components comprising: heating a circuit board having electronic components to be bonded by a bonding material mounted to the circuit board, the circuit board being placed into contact on a stage member, and melting the bonding material by the heating.
 24. A circuit board having electronic components bonded by an electronic component bonding method of placing the circuit board into contact on a stage member and heating the circuit board, and melting the bonding material by the heating.
 25. An electronic component mounting apparatus comprising a bonder for an electronic component, the bonder for an electronic component including: a stage member for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and a heating device for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other.
 26. An electronic component mounting apparatus comprising a bonder for an electronic component, the bonder for an electronic component including: a plurality of stage members for placing a circuit board having electronic components mounted; and a heating device provided to each of the stage members for heating the stage member so as to heat the circuit board held in contact with the stage member, and melt a bonding material for bonding the electronic components and the circuit board with each other. 